Tucker Travels

Arnold in the engine room of the Mark IV

Hi,

We are already in the New Orleans area heading west to El Paso, TX. But, wait, there is more! We left home the beginning of January and caught up with Mavis and Martin McIntyre at Stage Stop Campground near Orlando, Florida. We were to go into a Holiday Rambler rally in a couple of days. We were later getting there than planned as we had a little mishap on the way down I-75. Just into Florida we blew a water pump on our diesel engine on a Sunday at about 3pm so we had to spend the night in a truck stop gas station until Cummings could send out a repair man to change out the pump. He got there early and had the whole pump changed out in less than an hour and we were on our way. The overnight in a truck stop was a first for us and it was noisy and we couldn't put out our slide. Arnold slept on the sofa, I think more as a "protector" than anything else. At least it wasn't cold and one of us got a good nights sleep.

I had been asked to teach some classes at the Holiday Rambler Rally so that is why we were headed to Orlando. We used to own an HR and the Mac's still do so that is why they were going with us. We got set up at the rally and I got ready to teach. I had 20 students for each class and I taught two different bracelets. I think that everyone had a good time, myself included. This rally also included two supper club dinners, one at the Pirates and the other at the Arabian Nights.

To spend some time before our next rally, back at the Orlando Central Fairgrounds, we went to a rally of Monaco owners that meet on the web at Titusville, FL. Another reason for going to the East coast was so that I could see my friend Sharon and meet her new husband. We had a delightful lunch at a seafood restaurant. We also took a cruise on a gambling boat, it was during the day so we were able to see lots, when we went topside and stopped putting money into the machines. At least we came out even.

The last full week of January we were at the Monaco Rally where I was to teach a class of 20 a sun catcher. It ended up that I taught 2 classes and a total of 50 students. Good thing I was prepared, but this puts me short for the next rally in March so I'll have to resupply my wears.

After the rallies we started west. Martin's ex-son-in-law is a tug boat captain and works the inland waterways in Louisiana and we checked his location and found that he was going to be near Panama City Beach. Right, we headed that way and got a chance to go aboard. He had a load of 4 barges of coal and the tidal current was changing so he was working the tug boat back and forth in the channel for about an hour while we got the royal treatment and tour. Too bad it was already dark when we met up with him but it was fun and something different. You can at least see the engine room above.

I need to find out how to put pictures where I want them in the text of the blog, esp if I'm going to be the one doing our Mexico blog. This is a new program and this is the first time I'm using it.

Yesterday we went into New Orleans to a KOA Campground. We have been in this area before since Katrina and there isn't much that has changed. A few new buildings, a few empty lots, a little less blue tarps but still lots of FEMA trailers and homes without windows and lots of them just boarded up. Even the KOA campground had about 85% FEMA trailers. An easy clue is the permanent sewer and water hook-ups wrapped for protection from the freezing weather. It is really strange to see entire shopping centers with empty buildings and destruction. Stores like Dillard's and Sears. Martin had picked up a nail in one of his tires so that had to be fixed first thing this morning. While he was getting that fixed we went up the highway to meet with Pat and Carol Neff, friends of all of ours. We had all met on a cruise of the Panama Canal a number of years ago. The Mac's joined us after a short time and we all went to lunch. After lunch the Neff's took us on a little tour of the area to show us some of the progress, which wasn't very much. Depression is a big problem in the area and Carol says that most people are suffering from it.

So now we sit in a campground just north of Slidell and in the morning we will head west in earnest as we have to be in El Paso at a definite time to get ready for the big adventure, Mexico.

Until next time,

enjoy,